By Fatos Bytyci and Florion Goga
TIRANA (Reuters) – Ergus Katiaj, a shop owner in Tirana, uses TikTok to promote his delivery services for potato chips, cigarettes, and alcohol, boosting his monthly profit by around 1,000 euros. However, a recent government ban on the popular social media app in Albania has put his business at risk, sparking concerns about the impact on commerce and free speech in the run-up to the May elections.
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the ban on December 21 following a tragic incident where a 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed by a fellow student. The altercation was reportedly fueled by online clashes. The ban on TikTok, set to be enforced in the coming weeks, comes amid global scrutiny of the app’s content and its Chinese ownership through ByteDance.
While Rama justified the ban as a measure to address youth violence after consulting with parents and educators, critics view it as a potential tool to suppress dissent in response to widespread unrest in the country.
Orkidea Xhaferaj, representing the Tirana-based think tank SCiDEV, expressed concern over the broader implications of the ban, warning that it sets a troubling precedent for governments to restrict online platforms at will.
TikTok, in response to the ban, has sought clarification from the Albanian government, pointing out that the incident leading to the ban was linked to content on a different platform, not TikTok itself.
Albania witnessed a wave of violent protests in the past year fueled by political tensions, with clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement escalating. The arrest of opposition leaders on corruption charges further deepened the divide, with accusations of political motivation behind the legal actions.
Arlind Qori, leader of the newly formed political party Bashke (Together), denounced the ban on TikTok, describing it as an attempt to silence opposition voices in a challenging political climate.
Rama defended the ban as a necessary step to protect young people, emphasizing the tragic consequences of online disputes culminating in real-world violence. The image of the slain schoolboy, displayed in a central Tirana alleyway surrounded by tributes, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the incident.
The Prime Minister condemned the content on TikTok outside of China as promoting “hooliganism, perversity, violence, bullying, crime,” contrasting it with the supposedly cleaner version within China. He questioned the necessity of such content, justifying the ban on the grounds of safeguarding Albanian youth.
As the ban on TikTok looms, uncertainty looms over the future of online expression and commerce in Albania, with businesses like Katiaj’s facing the prospect of losing a vital promotional platform. The clash between government regulation and digital freedom underscores the complex challenges facing the country as it navigates a turbulent political landscape.
(Editing by Edward McAllister and Louise Heavens)
